1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to hub structures for rotary finishing wheels, and more particularly to hub structures having a generally cylindrical, radially outer surface provided with a plurality of integrally formed, circumferentially- spaced, quasi-cylindrical, key-hole-type slot formations adapted to replaceably mount pack units having flap-like members of fill material and an improved clamping means for rigidly securing the cylindrical hub to a shaft for rotation therewith.
The invention finds use in any type of rotary finishing wheel such as those employing abrasive sheets, bristles, or the like which are generally used for grinding, rough or finish abrasive working, brushing, burnishing, or the like. However, in the preferred embodiment of this invention, the improved hub structures are used in commercial automotive car washing establishments which would normally employ cloth, cloth-like material, felt-like material, sewed sisal, pex, horsehair, leather or the like for use in washing, drying, buffing, polishing, or otherwise finishing the car.
2. Description of the Prior Art
My own U.S. Patents are typical of the rotary finishing wheels, hub structures and pack units of the prior art to which this invention relates and the numbers and issue dates of these patents are as follows: U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,455,068, July 15, 1969; 3,535,833, Oct. 27, 1970; 3,621,622, Nov. 23. 1971; 3,626,646, Dec. 14, 1971; 3,685,217; Aug. 22, 1972; 3,768,214, Oct. 30, 1973; 3,772,833, Nov. 20, 1973; 3,798,847, Mar. 26, 1974; 3,800,481, Apr. 2, 1974; 3,807,099, Apr. 30, 1974; 3,813,829, June 4, 1974; 3,820,291, June 28, 1974; 3,842,547, Oct. 22, 1974; 3,914,908, Oct. 28, 1975; and U.S. Pat. No. Re. 28,118, Aug. 20, 1974. In so much as these patent teach various pack units and applications for rotary finishing wheels, they are incorporated by reference herein.
Generally, the hub structures of the prior art have been relatively expensive, complex, and difficult to use and repair. Most of the hub structures employed a number of machined or cast parts which were often relatively heavy and difficult to attach to the rotary drive shafts required to operate the finishing wheels. In many of the hub structures, a plurality of longitudinally oriented pivot rods were used for mounting the pack units or various longitudinally oriented retainer rods were used as an aid in maintaining the cylindrical shape of the hub structure. The hub structures often involved many parts and were difficult to assemble and maintain. Some included a plurality of stacked hub disks which were normally required to be keyed to a specially adapted drive shaft or required additional means for securing the stacked disks to one another.
The improved finishing wheel of the present invention employs a relatively inexpensive, easy to assembly and maintain hub structure adapted for easily and replaceably telescopically mounting modular pack units without the use of retainer rods or the like. The improved hub structure is extremely simple and light weight. For the most part, it comprises two to four integrally-formed pieces and a relatively simple means for securing the pieces together to form a cylindrical hub and for attaching the cylindrical hub to the drive shaft for rotation therewith.